First Date
by CortexiphanTulips
Summary: Emma works up the nerve to ask Ruby out on their first date.
1. Chapter 1

"You know I can walk to the bus myself" Henry said as he walked beside Emma on the side walk. They had this conversation almost every weekday and of course there were times when Emma had to go and he did walk alone but if it was Emma's week with Henry she tried to walk with him. She'd missed a lot of his childhood and wanted to participate in as much as possible now.

"I know" She replied ruffling her son's hair 'But I can't give up my last 10 minutes of the week, you're going to your Mom's tonight."

'Emma!" Ruby called out trotting across the street to the two of them as Emma's heart skipped a beat. More than anyone but Henry Emma had missed the vivacious waitress "Hey Henry."

"Hey Ruby" Henry replied smiling up at her "Do you need my mom for something?" Emma smiled when he called her Mom. Building her friendship with Henry had been her priority since she moved to Storybrooke and she was beyond privileged that he called her Mom now. Regina was still his Mom too of course, and Emma appreciated all that Regina was trying to do to repair her relationship with Henry which was why they'd figured out this whole trading weeks shared custody thing. Emma would have preferred to have him full time, but she let him decide and he chose to live with both of them.

"It's not an emergency" Ruby replied reminding Emma to come back to the present. "Do you mind if I walk with you guys?" She asked him.

"Will you tell me about Wolf's time?" Henry asked by way of agreeing, hopping in between the two women so he could be closer to Ruby as she answered. The three of them walked comfortably in line the rest of the way to the bus stop as Henry interrogated Ruby about all things wolf's time. They barely beat the bus to the stop and Henry climbed on, waving at the two women on the sidewalk as both a gesture of goodbye and dismissal since the other mothers had drifted away after safely securing their children in the bus driver's hands.

"I'm actually glad you're here" Emma said shoving her hands into the pockets of her red leather jacket as they turned to walk away. "Henry's back at Regina's tonight…"

"Oh we could have a girl's night!" Ruby exclaimed breaking out into a wide smile and doing a half skip that seemed dangerous in such high heels.

"Oh well actually" Emma said stopping and struggling to explain in a way that wouldn't end with the two of them hanging out with Emma's _mother_. "I was thinking we could do something just the two of us." Ruby looked a little confused tilting her head in a way that Emma struggled not to see as a puppy dog "… like a date. With me, you and me on a date."

Emma gulped as Ruby said "Oh" and looked at Emma and then let out a whoosh of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding in when Ruby added "Oh!" And broke into the wide innocent smile that Emma had grown to love "Of course!" Ruby leaned forward and kissed Emma quickly "It took you long enough" She added before grabbing Emma's hand and leading the stunned Sheriff back down the street they'd walked up earlier.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma stood transfixed for a minute after Ruby opened the door. The brunette's dark hair was tumbling down past her shoulders in soft waves where the red streaks stood out against the simple white shirt she'd chosen along with tight pants in her trademark color of red and another pair of impossibly high heels. "Wow," Emma said, swallowing as she took the sight in. "Uhh- you look, you look great," she added after a pause and earning herself one of Ruby's toothy grins that infected people, or at least Emma, with happiness.

"Where are we going?" Ruby asked, grabbing her jacket from the hook by the door and joining Emma who tripped over her own feet trying to move and give Ruby room. Ruby grabbed Emma's arm so she wouldn't totally fall over and steadied the blonde, laughing.

Emma pulled a face as she regained her balance then replied, "I thought we could grab a drink and then see what's playing at the movie theater." Of course there wasn't much else date wise to do in Storybrooke, but still, Emma did have a plan and the hope that a drink would help her stop acting like a complete idiot. She'd been friends with Ruby before this; the only difference tonight was that she wanted to kiss her at the end of the night.

"Okay," Ruby agreed, slipping her arm through Emma's and feeling the blonde tense for a second before relaxing and shifting her arm so they'd both be comfortable while they walked. Emma kept expecting people to start staring at them when they walked in, but of course people were used to seeing the two friends together. "I'll get us a table," Ruby said, gently pushing Emma towards the bar to collect drinks before slipping into the crowd.

Drinks in hand Emma found Ruby, who had managed to secure them a pretty good table except that it had apparently come with Emma's father. "I got that thing you like," Emma said setting Ruby's drink in front of her as she claimed the seat next to her date and took a large gulp of her own drink.

"If we'd have known you were coming out we would have invited you along," David said, finishing what he'd been telling Ruby when Emma walked up.

"Hey Honey– Emma!" Snow walked up behind her husband then broke into a smile when she saw her daughter with him.

"Hi Snow," Ruby said happily hugging her best friend while Emma sank down into her glass, discovering you could not drink fast enough when your first date unrepentantly turns into a double with your parents.

"What are you two up to tonight?" Snow asked Ruby wondering why her daughter was slowly turning a shade of red that could almost match Ruby's hair.

"Oh, we decided to go out," Ruby replied, smiling and making Emma choke on her drink. "It's Regina's week with Henry and Emma-"

"You know, actually we should probably go," Emma interrupted as soon as she finished the coughing fit that choking on alcohol had brought on. "The movie starts soon." Ruby smiled and sipped her drink before standing up and taking Emma's hand as they walked away.

Snow watched them go, processing what had just happened as Charming scanned the bar. "I think our daughter is dating my best friend," Snow commented.

"What?" Charming asked, looking back to his wife who rolled her eyes and patted his arm as Ruby and Emma left the bar together, still holding hands.


	3. Chapter 3

"Do you want candy?" Emma asked as they stood in line at the concession stand looking at their options. Choosing a movie is never an issue in Storybrooke as the theater only had one screen and only played one different movie per week, but the concession stand was always well stocked. It was a Friday night and few others were around, even though the town was still trying to figure out how to be in this new world with their old memories. Ruby picked up a package of Twizzlers and they also ordered a Sprite and a small popcorn.

Emma also let Ruby choose where to sit, knowing the brunette had heightened senses but not where the best place to sit that would accommodate them was. They stood as Ruby watched several others take their seats, Emma fidgeting nervously and taking a sip of their soda. Ruby made her decision and led Emma to the back row. Emma missed the tug of Ruby's hand leading her around, but knew she wouldn't have been able to hold it while carrying the popcorn and soda.

The two women settled into their seats and Ruby opened the package of Twizzlers. They snacked and chatted about the various movie trailers, deciding which ones seemed stupid and which looked worth the price of a ticket to watch. They laughed together as Ruby teased Emma about their run in with her parents and then the movie company logo finally appeared and Emma asked "What movie are we watching again?" as the music and the opening credits started.

"I don't really care," Ruby replied, leaning in and kissing Emma. She tasted like cherry and Sprite and Emma wanted to melt into her.

"What if they see us?" Emma asked, glancing at the other people seated around them. Ruby didn't seem worried about what the people of the town thought of them, but Emma couldn't remember anyone in town being in a same-sex relationship and she wasn't sure how it was going to go over.

"We're in the back row," Ruby replied, turning Emma's face back to her own, "and the movie's in the front." Ruby didn't care if people saw them, she just wanted to kiss Emma again.

"That makes sense," Emma agreed, leaning back into Ruby to kiss her once more. Ruby's lips were soft against Emma's. Emma had no clue what was going on in the movie that played up on the screen and she honestly didn't care as they made out in the back of the theater like teenagers, the darkness and occasional loud explosions in the movie protecting them from the outside world.


End file.
